Let it out

Kael makes his way home, feeling as though he’s walking through a thick fog. Ria accompanies him, clearly as dazed as he is, and neither of them speak during the walk, though she does take his hand. Kael can feel a slight tremble in her fingers, something unusual for the usually composed and confident warrior woman. As for himself, his mind is reeling from the things he heard, and he struggles to process the myriad of emotions that he’s feeling.

Seemingly without conscious thought, the two of them arrive at Kael’s home. He opens the door to hear the sound of Evie’s musical laughter, and Gabby’s less melodious chuckling. The elf and the holstaur are in the midst of an animated conversation, though both turn smiling faces in greeting towards Kael and Ria. Almost immediately, though, Evie’s expression changes, recoiling as though struck.

“Master?! What is…I can feel…what happened?”

Gabby looks confused, but Kael sighs, realizing what happened. Evie’s empathic abilities allowed her to immediately sense his emotions, though her doing it from across the room is new. Normally she would need to touch him for that to work. Either she’s growing stronger, or his emotions are strong enough for her to feel them at a distance.

That’s a question for another time, though. Kael glances at Ria, and sighs. “A lot has happened, Evie. We should all sit, we have a lot to talk about.”

Now Evie and Gabby share a worried expression, but they both sit, sharing the couch with Ria as Kael sits in a chair nearby. He sighs, considering where to begin. After a moment, he decides that it’s time to come clean about everything.

“So. Before I explain what happened today, there’s something secret that I feel like we should share. It’s about Evie.”

Now Ria looks confused, but she keeps quiet as Kael continues. “Evie is special. There’s a reason she is here with me, and why she was sent here by Lord Greyheart himself. That reason is…Evie is Lord Greyheart’s daughter.”

Both Gabby and Ria look stunned, and now Ria can’t stay quiet. “Wait, what?! His daughter? But she’s elvish! How?”

Kael goes into the story of Lord Greyheart’s past, and his elven rescuer turned lover. As he finishes, Gabby shakes her head. “Sir…he put his own daughter into a **** school? I thought you said he is a good man!”

Kael sighs again. “I can’t defend that choice. I asked much the same question, and his answers were…less than heartening. Which leads to the other day, when I went to him and…asked to have him end slavery in Foresthearth.”

Now all three women look shocked. Ria speaks first. “You what?! Now I understand why he looked at you like that…”

Gabby interrupts her. “You want to free us, sir? Really? Even if…even if it means we leave you?”

Kael nods. “Absolutely. If you don’t want to be here, I don’t want you to be ****. I never liked slavery.”

Evie speaks quietly. “I would never leave you, master. I love you.”

Gabby bites her lip, looking at Kael. “I…no one has ever been so kind, sir…thank you.”

Kael shakes his head. “Don’t thank me just yet. The conversation didn’t go well. We shouted at each other, and I was dismissed. I thought today was going to be repercussions for that. I was wrong.”

Evie looks at Kael closely. “I feel your emotions rising again, master. What happened today?”

Kael wrings his hands. “Two big announcements. First, Foresthearth is to be the capital of a new nation. We’re gaining allies and merging together.”

Gabby shrugs. “Probably a big deal, sir, but not really worth getting worked up about.”

Kael nods. “True enough. There’s going to be an event in a few hours where Lord Greyheart will announce his ascendancy to the throne, and I’m supposed to bring you both. Something about a show of unity.”

Ria nods. “All the champions were instructed to bring their partners. But get on with it, big guy.”

“Delaying the inevitable. Fine. The last thing we were told is the problem. Lord Greyheart is…dying.”

Spoken so bluntly, the words land like an anvil, and Kael can feel the weight of finality upon his heart. It’s as if speaking it aloud made it real.

“He told us it’s some kind of incurable curse, and his time is limited. Months, most likely. He wouldn’t share much beyond that.”

Naturally, all eyes fall on Evie. The slim elven woman sighs, looking down at the floor, before eventually speaking.

“Master, I…I can feel your pain over this, but I feel…numb. Truthfully, despite him being my father, I barely know him. I am sad, but…not like I would expect to be.”

She looks at Kael, a single tear running down her cheek. Ria reaches over and takes Evie’s hand as the elf continues. “My tears are for you, master. I understand why you are distraught. I have seen in your mind the history you have. I only wish I could spare you this pain.”

Touched by her empathy, Kael manages a smile. “Thank you, Evie. I love you.”

“I love you too, master.”

Gabby looks between the two of them. “Well sir, I think you need to come over here. It’s hard to hug you way over there.”

Kael laughs in spite of himself, nodding as he walks over to the couch. Gabby pulls him into a soft hug, and the others soon join in. It won’t heal the hurt, but the love here will help lessen the pain.